Okay, so here it is Part Two of the Publishing Process...
4. Request for a Partial. Once an agent or editor gets your query letter, if they like it, they will write you back to ask for a partial. A partial is usually the first three chapters of the novel, or up to 50 pages. Which means, you have to panic and then polish the first three chapters immediately because it may have been months since you last looked at them since you've been more focused on the ending! An agent/editor can take anywhere from a week to month or more to consider a partial. I've had some of them get back to me within days of receiving my partial. I've had others that I'd already given up on write me to ask for more.

5. Request for full manuscript. This is also known as submitting a manuscript, not to be confused with querying. In the beginning, I thought the two terms meant the same thing. So, I would see agents/publishing companies that requested "no unsolicited submissions." But they meant, "don't send me the manuscript unless I ask for it. But query letters are okay." This is where a lot of time is needed. Usually, 6 -8 weeks are required for agencies/publishing companies to make their decisions.

6. A contract! If the agent/editor likes your book, they will usually call to discuss the possibility of a contract. I've heard that some agents don't require a contract until they sell your book. However, I don't have an agent, so I'm not sure about that.

A note on contracts: contracts should never require you to pay any fees, except possibly photocopying and mailing expenses for an agent. Any publishing company that wants to charge you a fee for publishing your book or for editing your book is a subsidy press. Which is exactly what it sounds like, you are subsidizing the cost of printing your book. Which you could do through iuniverse or xlibris. You don't need them for that.

An agent that charges fees for reading your book could simply be making money on reading books for fees rather than selling the books to publishing companies. So you have to make sure you know what you're getting into.

6. After the contract. I don't know yet, but I hope to find out very soon!

Talk to you tomorrow!